The Madness Within
by TheInfallibleSnaps
Summary: The Marauders are attempting to endure Divination when Trelawney's predecessor, Professor Candorwood, makes an dramatic prediction while reading Sirius' palm. It leaves the Marauders in stitches, but it may have affected Sirius more than he let on. One-shot, Sirius-centered.


Sirius could feel himself sliding lower and lower in his armchair at Divination. His eyes slowly closed as he drifted to a state of almost-sleep, until he was rudely jolted awake from his delirium by a sharp jab from Remus.

"What was that for?" he snapped at him.

"Pay attention," Remus hissed back. "We're teaming up for palm reading."

"How exciting," Sirius muttered. "Prongs, get your arse over here."

"Fine, fine," said James, glancing behind him one last time.

"What are you staring a—oh," said Peter, his eyes wide. "Evans is…ah."

Sirius scanned the area of the room that James was gawking at. Lily was grasping Snape's hand with both of hers and examining his palm.

Sirius snorted. "Look at the idiot, there are practically hearts in his eyes."

"Lily's completely oblivious," said Remus, smirking.

James scratched the back of his neck. "Hey, d'you think Evans fancies Snape?"

Sirius snickered. "Why do you care?"

James shrugged. "Dunno. Anyway, budge up, I've nowhere to sit."

Sirius moved perhaps an inch in his armchair and James collapsed into it, shoving him to the side.

And so they began reading each other's palms, or, in Sirius and James' case, making things up as the time passed.

"See, this line right here," said Sirius, improvising wildly, "that means—erm…you're going to marry Evans and have loads of ginger kids."

James scoffed. "Yeah, first I have to get her to not hate me, then we can talk about marriage."

Beside him, Remus smiled knowingly.

"Your turn again," added Sirius. He held his hand out and began batting his eyelashes. Speaking in a high-pitched voice, he said, "James, will you read my palm?"

"They act like a married couple," muttered Remus to Peter.

"Oh, shut up, Moony," said James, turning to roll his eyes at him.

Sirius grinned. " 'Course not. James is sworn to Evans, isn't he?"

"My dear children!"

James groaned under his breath.

Professor Candorwood approached them, waving her arms about. "I have sensed the aura in this spot! Strong, very strong!"

"Bloody hell, here we go," muttered Sirius.

She seized James' hand. "You will have an epiphany at age twenty-seven and will decide to live as a hermit. I have seen it!"

"Yes, I'm sure you're right," said James absentmindedly, glancing back at Lily again.

Next she took hold of Sirius' hand. "Oh! Oh, my _poor_ boy!"

A sizable portion of the class turned toward their direction, their attention suspended by her outburst.

"What is it now?" said Sirius, bored.

"You will—you will…" she began, a considerable amount of white space showing around her spookily pale irises.

Remus and Peter both suppressed chuckles. Lily raised her eyebrows across the room.

"You will be wrongly accused of a terrible, terrible crime!" Candorwood exclaimed. "Know to all as a murderer, a traitor, hated by the entity of the wizarding population! You will be imprisoned for years!"

The class stood still. Lily masked a quiet snicker behind her hand, and James' shoulders shook with silent laughter. Finally, Sirius burst out laughing, followed by several others.

"You will be driven mad from years of isolation! Your heart will be hardened from the sorrowful betrayal, and your flesh…your flesh will reflect the madness within!"

"Right," said Sirius firmly. He yanked his hand from her grip. "I think that's enough, thanks."

The other three Marauders were still in stitches.

"The madness within," said Remus, choking with laughter. "What was _that_ all about?"

Tension bubbled in Sirius' stomach. Wrongly accused? Betrayal? _The madness within?_

But then it was easily dissolved. Since when did he believe what a batty old woman said about his future based upon his hand?

"I have no idea," he finally responded with a laugh.

**Thanks for reading! Hey, you know what else you should do? Write a review:)**


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